There's a lot going round on the Internet about "100 Layers of this and that", interspersed with tutorials on how to look like Kylie Jenner. I'm not one to judge - if that's your thing, go for it. But, I am finding it increasingly difficult to read up on skin-care and pearls of wisdom about looking after your skin better.

Maybe it's just not cool anymore, but I am a big believer of laying the foundations (not the foundation) for a healthy, youthful glow and since my teens, have been obsessed with researching, testing, switching and applying new products. So here goes, Part 1 of my skin care series.

Dead Sea Mask

I've been to Israel 4 times but only on the last trip did I make it to the Dead Sea. Was it worth the wait? Er, YES.

It's a weird experience, dipping into water so mirky you can't see a damn thing, reminding yourself that literally nothing is living. Not a single organism. Comforting to know that nothing is about to crawl up your leg but your mind does play tricks on you!

The water is so full of Sodium Chloride that you are warned and warned not to get it in your eyes and to wash the mud off your skin within 10 minutes. The beauty is that after about 4 minutes you are already feeling renewed.

The balmy (not clammy) coating on your skin is like nothing you'll have felt before. So good in fact, that I walked straight out of the water and into the shop to pick up some supplies to take home.

The MINERAL-RICH MAGNETIC MUD MASK featured here, is compacted with Dead Sea minerals, Vitamin E and Pro Vitamin B5 mixed with iron powder. You layer your skin with the mask, leave for 5-10 mins and then pull the mixture off with the magnet that is included. The skin is left with the same balmy, protective sheen and visibly smoother.

It's a perfect treatment pre-makeup application as the skin is not greasy at all but perfectly primed for foundation (although my skin always feel so nice afterwards that I really try to resist applying anything).

I'm feeling so lazy these days. I don't know if it's due to slowly waking up from hibernation (I'm always a total grouch-ball after a nap) or the lack of sunshine in my life, but I just can't seem to get going.

I've been giving myself no more than 20 minutes to get ready in the morning which doesn't exactly support the path to a bangin' outfit. It's more of a case of grabbing whichever clean thing is sprawled across my sofa and making a mad dash for it. Cue trench coat ... the one item that doesn't require any dressing up or complex thought; the item that says it all whilst saying nothing. Simple. Neutral. Essential.